Ruan de Swardt took 5-13 to skittle SA Colts for 85, as SA Schools sealed a six-wicket victory to lift the Coca-Cola cup in Bloemfontein. 

Khaya Majola week’s best went toe to toe, as a Wiaan Mulder-led SA Schools side took on Jean du Plessis’ SA Colts XI for further honours.

Jiveshan Pillay was the first to fall thanks to Michael Cohen, who struck at the end of the sixth over. Jarred Alder was looking good on 16 but Akhona Mnyaka struck with a quick double to dismiss Adler in the ninth over and again in the 11th to dismiss the in-form Mitchell van Buuren for a duck. The Colts continued to struggle when De Swardt stepped up to bowl.

The 17-year-old speedster, who finished top of the bowler’s list at this year’s Khaya Majola Cricket Week with 17 wickets, stunned the Colts XI as they remained stuck on 43. Swardt dismissed Muhammed Mayet (1), Sinalo Gobeni (0) and Gerald Coetzee (0) to take the Colts from 43-3 to 43-6 in just five deliveries.

A seventh-wicket partnership of 22 between Jason Raubenheimer (17) and Mihlali Mpongwana trickled the Colts past the 50-run mark but this was soon ended by spinner Jade de Klerk who ended his spell with 2-16. De Swardt went on to remove the tail as the Colts were bowled out for 85 in 28 overs.

The target was light work for SA Schools. Matthew Breetzke and Jesse Christensen put on a second-wicket partnership of 46 before Mihlali Mpongwana struck in the 10th over dismissing Breetzke on 17. Christensen looked good on 32 for 29 balls as he was in pole position to take his side over the line, but Mpongwana had other plans removing both Christensen and Raynard van Tonder (16) in the middle of the 12th over.

With six more runs to win, captain Wiaan Mulder (10) finished off the job as SA Schools picked up a six-wicket win to lift the Coca-Cola trophy.

Scorecard: SA Schools vs SA Colts XI

Photo: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images